Bogard Becomes a Crucial 9th

News on the football recruiting front has been bleak as of late. From high profile de-commits, to Ohiokids with Buckeye offers choosing to take their game out of state, Luke Fickell's first Ohio State class was taking shape as one might imagine given the turbulence and uncertainty surrounding the program.

Yesterday, that effort received a shot in the arm with the commitment of Glenville defensive back De'van Bogard [Scout, Rivals, ESPN, 247] following OSU's advanced position camp. The 6-0/180 Bogard, with offers from USC, Penn State, Michigan, and Wisconsin, among others, is considered the top defensive back in the state.

"It's family. That's all I can say, and it just feels so good to be a part of it. Coach Fickell was so excited for me and that makes me feel good. I'm not worried about the NCAA stuff at all, and it doesn't matter to me at all."

"My head coach, Ted Ginn, was very happy for me and that meant a lot to me too. This is my home, and it just hit me today when I was down there. I thought about it the whole way home, and made up my mind it was the right thing to do."

Welcome to the family, De'van.

Rivals and Scout both have Bogard as a four star and also both coincidentally list him as the #24 defensive back in the 2012 class. 247 is even more bullish, naming him the nation's #5 safety prospect and the #4 overall prospect in a loaded Ohio class.

He actually played linebacker as a junior for the Tarblooders last season and carries a frame that has some room to fill out. Ohio State is thought to be looking at Bogard as a safety and with his hitter's mentality, he may fit right into the Star position on the Buckeye defense.

Bogard becomes the third recruit -- all defensive backs -- to commit to Fickell, joining Bedford's Tyvis Powell and Steubenville's Najee Murray. Powell, soon after hearing the news, took to Twitter to speak of a dynastic secondary. We're pretty excited, too.

Besides landing an elite talent and stemming the flow of recruiting bad news, Fickell allayed any fears of the Glenville pipeline drying up with Tressel's departure. Ginn kids typically take their time making decisions, so Bogard getting in early is absolutely fantastic news.